Station indicator and signal.



0. W. PARIS. STATION INDIGATOR AND SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED MAY13,1910.

Patented Feb. 7, 1 91 1.

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Patented Feb. 7, 1911.

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APPLICATION FILED MAY13, 1910.

Patented Feb. 7, 1911.

3 ll! 4 m Illilllllll pair CHARLES W. FARIS, OF IOWA FALLS, IOWA.

STATION INDICATOR AND SIGNAL.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES W. Fans, a citizen of the United States, residing at Iowa Falls, in the county of Hardin and State of Iowa, have invented a certain new and useful Station Indicator and Signal, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a device of simple, durable and inexpensive construction that may be readily, quickly and easily attached to or removed from the end portions of the cars of a train of cars to provide a station announcer or indicator that may be seen at either end of each car and also to provide means whereby all of said indicators may be simultaneously operated by pulling upon a single cord extended through the cars of the train.

More specifically it is my object to provide a device of this kind in which the various stations along a particular line of travel may be marked upon a flexible sheet and a yielding pressure applied to one end of the sheet tending to normally wind it upon a drum and also so arranged that each time the operating cord is pulled the flexible station sheet will be automatically released and permitted to turn one station space to thereby disclose through the opening in the easing the name of the next station.

A further object is to provide a bell attachment to thereby automatically signal to the passengers each time that the stations are changed on the indicators.

A further object is to provide means whereby the flexible sheet on which the stations are printed may be readily and easily detached from the casings so that when a train containing any improvement travels beyond the set of stations indicated on the station sheet, a new station sheet may be substituted containing the names of the stations on the changed path of travel of the train.

My invention consists in certain details, in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a side elevation of a number of cars coupled together and provided with my improved station indicating device to show the manner in which the indicators are arranged in both ends of all of the cars Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 13, 1910.

Patented Feb. '7, 1911.

Serial No. 561,224.

of the train. Fig. 2 shows a sectional view of a portion of a railway car looking toward one end thereof to indicate the position of my improved station indicator therein. Fig. 3 shows a central, longitudinal, sectional view of the station indicator casing to illustrate the arrangement of the drums therein and also the detachable feature. Fig. 4: shows a transverse, sectional view through the station indicator, a part of the partition being removed to show the lower winding drum. Fig. 5shows a horizontal, sectional view taken on the line above the upper drum. Fig. (5 shows a detail, sectional view illustrating the signal bell device, and Fig. 7 shows an enlarged, detail, sectional view illustrating a portion of the spring actuated drum controlling mechanism and the signal bell.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, I have used the reference numeral 10 to indicate the body of a passenger car and 11 the end walls thereof. Mounted upon each end wall near its top, as shown in Fig. 2, is a casing 12 to contain the station indicating devices. This casing is inclosed on all sides except at one end which is provided with a hinged door 13 and a stationary partition 14 is formed therein adjacent to the opposite end. Slidingly mounted within this casing is a frame 15 to contain the station indicating sheets and their drums.

Rotatably mounted in the upper portion of the frame 15 is a drum 16 loosely mounted on the shaft 17 This shaft extends through and has its bearings in the partition it and the adjacent end of the casing 12 and is provided with an angular end at 18 to receive a winding key 19. Fixed to the shaft 17 is a ratchet wheel 20 and a pawl 21 is pivoted to the adjacent end of the easing to engage' the ratchet wheel. Rotatably mounted upon the shaft 17 is a spring case 22, which spring case is provided with an arm 23 for purposes hereinafter made clear. Contained within the spring case is a convolute spring 2 1 having one end fixed to the case and the other end fixed to the shaft 17. Fixed to one end of the drum 16 is a disk 25 having a notch therein to receive the arm 23. By this arrangement the frame 15 may be withdrawn so that the disk 25 is disengaged from the arm 23 and when said frame 15 is replaced the arm and disk will engage each other so that a rotation of the arm will turn the disk.

. sheet is fixed to and wound upon a second drum below the first hereinafter described. This second drum is indicated by the numeral 26 and is mounted upon a shaft 27 which has its bearings in the ends of the frame 15. The said station indicating sheet is fixed to and wound upon it. I have provided means for applying a yielding friction to this drum to retard its rotation so that the flexible station indicating sheet may be stretched tightly between the drums at all times as follows: There are two of these friction devices, each of which comprises a shaft 28 having a disk shaped head 29 at one end to. frictio-nally engage the adjacent end of the drum 26. The shaft is also provided with aflange 30 and it extends outwardly a short distance beyond said flange. Mounted in the adjacent end of the casing 12 is a stationary screw threaded sleeve 31 and seated therein is a hollow screw 32 having the end of the shaft 28 in serted in it. Said screw is also provided with a flange 33 and an extensible coil spring 34 is mounted on the shaft 28 in engagement with the flange 33 on the screw and the flange 30 on the shaft so that the pressure of said spring is applied in a direction tending to hold the disk 29 in engagement with the adjacent end of the drum. By adjusting the screw 32 the pressure on the lower drum may be regulated.

It is intended that one of the casings be applied to each end of each car in a train and in order to operate them simultaneously, I provide a cord 35 to extend through the various cars of a train in the same man- Fixed to this shaft is ner as the usual signal cords are applied in general use. My improved mechanism for automatically releasing the spring case so that it will turn a part revolution each time that the cord is pulled in either direction is as follows: Mounted between the partition end of the casing is within the casing 12 14 and the adjacent an upright shaft 36. an arm 37 to which the cord 35 is attached. A spring 38 is applied to said arm to normally return it to its normal position when pressure upon the cord 35 has been removed. Formed on the spring case 22 are two lugs 39 and fixed in position on top of the shaft 36 is a horizontally arranged disk 40. This disk is provided with two stationary arms 41 spaced apart from each other and between said stationary arms is a pivoted arm 42 capable of slight upward movement and held against downward movement by engagement with the disk 40. The inner edges of the stationary arms 41 are slightly beveled or inclined as indicated in Fig. 5 and the construction and arrangement of this device is such that when the cord 35 is pulled the shaft 36 will be turned a part revolution thus permitting the arm 42 to slide laterally to position out of engagement with the adjacent lug 39, whereupon one of the stationary arms 41 will be moved to position in the path of the lug 39 but saidlug 39 will be detained by the arm 41. However when the operator releases the cord 35 the spring 38 will return the shaft 36 to normal position, whereupon, and during said return movement, the lug 39 will engage the beveled portion of the arm 41 and the spring case will be permitted to turn a part revolution until the next lug 39 strikes upon the pivoted arm 42. The reason for pivoting said arm is so that said lug 39 may force it upwardly slightly in order to pass between the beveled portion of the arm 41 and the pivoted arm 42. This device is in the nature of an ordinary escapement of the kind in common use on typewriters except that in my device two arms 41 are provided so that the shaft 38 may be turned in either direction as required to release the spring case. Therefore when an operator pulls upon the cord 35 in either direction the upper drum will be turned a part revolution by its spring and the flexible station indicating sheet will be moved upwardly the distance of one named space thereon. I preferably provide on the front of the casing the words The next station as shown in Fig. 2, and I also provide an opening therein through which the name on the flexible station indicating sheet may be seen.

It is desirable that at the time the station indicator is operated a signal be given so that the passengers within the car may be advised of the change. For this purpose I have provided on the shaft 36 a segmental gear 43 and rotatably mounted in suitable bearings and the casing 12 is a shaft 44 having a pinion 45 in mesh with the segmental gear 43 and also having a cross rod 46 at its outer end. On this cross rod 46 are two sliding balls or clappers 47 which are connected by means of a contractible coil spring 48 which tends to hold them toward each other. Supported adjacent to the balls 47 is a bell 49 having lugs 50 on its interior in position to be engaged by the balls 47. WVhen the shaft 44 is rotated the balls will swing outwardly by centrifugal action and successively engage the lugs 50 on the bell.

In practical operation the cars are pro- 3 ,vided with the casings 12 which preferably are permanently connected. In order to supply all of the casings 12 within a train with station indicating sheets suitable for a certain trip, I first wind up the springs 24 by 1 "nect up the ends of the various cords 35 in the ordinary manner and the device is ready for use. In thls connection it 1s to be understood that after one statlon has been passed.

an operator grasps the cord 35 in any one of the cars and pulls downwardly upon it. This will pull the cord 35 in one direction as applied to the casing at one end of a car and in another direction as applied to a casing at the other end of a car. I therefore provide means whereby all of the drums containing the station indicating sheets will be turned in the same direction by means of power applied to the cord in opposite directions just described. For this reason it is desirable that the station indicating sheet be automatically wound up by a spring and that the spring be released by a movement of the arm 37 in either direction. It is also desirable that a pull upon the cord 35 in either direction will actuate the signal bell.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a station indicator, the combination of a suitable casing, a spring actuated drum therein, a rim having lugs thereon, said rim being operatively connected with the drum, and an escapement device to coactwith said lugs and comprising a lever ext-ended out through the casing, said escapement device being arranged to release the lug with which it engages when the lever is turned in either direction.

2. In a station indicator, the combination of a suitable casing, a spring actuated drum therein, a rim having lugs thereon, said rim being operatively connected with the drum, and an escapement device, comprising an upright shaft, an arm fixed to the shaft and extended out through the casing, a cord fixed to the arm, a dlsk fixed to the shaft, a central arm pivoted to the disk to move up and down, and two stationary arms fixed to the disk on opposite sides of the pivoted arms and'having inclined inner edges, said parts being so arranged that when the cord is pulled in either direction the lug will be released so that the rim to which it is attached may turn a part revolution.

3. In a station indicator, the combination of a suitable casing, a spring actuated drum therein, a rim having lugs thereon, said rim being operatively connected with the drum, and an escapement device comprising an upright shaft, an arm fixed to the shaft and extended out through the casing, a cord fixed to the arm, a central arm pivoted to the disk to move up and down, two stationary arms fixed to the disk on opposite sides of the pivoted arms and having inclined inner edges, said parts being so arranged that when the cord is pulled in either direction the lug will be released so that the rim to which it is attached may turn a part revolution, and a spring for normally returning the shaft to position where the pivoted arm on it will be engaged by the succeeding lug on the rim when said rim is rotated.

Des Moines, Iowa, May 5, 1910.

CHARLES V. FARIS.

Witnesses:

F. D. FEET, G. E. TAYLOR. 

